Tuesday, July 8, 2014

+Joey Lindsey has a contest on his METAL vs SKIN blog for a copy of Doom Cave of the Crystal-Headed Children, an adventure written for the Lamentations of the Flame Princess RPG. Plus another adventure written by Joey himself and other runner-up prizes.

This map of encounter ideas is my entry

TEMPEST EVERLASTING

Ancient Legend

Air. Earth. Fire. Water. Since time beyond mortal understanding the primal elements of the world have struggled for dominance over one another.
At the forming of the world, Earth called out to a mountain from beyond the sky.
The mountain pierced the Air, boiled the Water, embraced the Earth and awakened the Fire below.
The balance of the elements is inevitable . The mountain was shattered, leaving a colossal wound in the Earth. Water rushed in to claim the new void. Fire boils and churns from beneath, never allowing the scar to heal. Still to this day Air lashes the area with raging storms and blasts it with bolts of furious fulmination.
A tempest everlasting.

Current Events1.The Puzzling Desert - This dry waste was once home to a thriving civilization that was long ago conquered by wizard allies of the elemental plane of Earth. The people were transformed into living husks who don't need to drink water to survive. They are trying to deforest the surrounding landscape and expand the desert.

2.Port Underfoot - This town is a known smugglers den. Anything goes as long as a hefty tribute is paid to Nix and Nox, twin ogre magi. They control an impressive fortress on Mount Overhead to the south. Any who disrespect the ogre magi or their enforcers are thrown into the shark infested reefs nearby.

3.Island of the Astrologer - On the southern shore stands an ancient stone lighthouse. A huge enchanted telescope has been built into the top of the light house. The astrologer wizard who lives here can summon creatures represented in the constellations to do his bidding.﻿4.Segar Isle - Rose the sea hag and her vulture familiar make their home here. She is served by a small army of degenerate pink tropical kua-toa. They believe she is an avatar of the Sea Mother, their elemental water goddess. She can also be found terrorizing the seas in her pirate ship, the Black Barnacle.

5.Lost Adakkor - Here lie the ruins of the civilization that suffered the curse of the Puzzling Desert to the north. A few noble families and their retainers remain here in the hopes of finding a way to defeat the elemental earth wizards and reclaim their people and their country.

6.Aerie of Megaira - Megaira the gynosphinx rules these mountains and commands an army of corsairs. She resides at the peak of the mountain in an ancient temple of the air elemental Boreus. She and her pirates ply the seas in search of weaker ships to plunder.

7.Brakoora Isle - Despite its sparse vegetation, this island supports a small human population.Traders who frequent the island tell tales of nocturnal rituals on the beaches and the hunched silhouettes of huge, clawed beasts that crawl from the surf.

8.Aerie of Aella - Aella the gynosphinx makes her home here in the ruins of an ancient college on the slope of this dormant volcano. She spends most of her time studying occult tomes in the library. It is built like a vault, with walls of adamant steel and sealed with sturdy locks and magical wards.

9.Knucklebone Isle - A family of oracles makes this island their home. They are famous for casting the knuckle bones of their ancestors to foretell the future. It is said to harass them is to invite calamity and doom.

10.Aerie of Kimon - The criosphinx Kimon guards a forgotten prison at the top of the mountain. For the right price one can bribe Kimon to abduct one's enemies and lock them in a cell here to rot. He is constantly trying to impress and seduce the sphinx sisters, Aella and Megaira.

11.The Quickmire - This island is covered in brackish swamp and deadly quicksand. There is spring near the north shore of the island whose waters are said to make the drinker invulnerable to the stone gazes of the basilisk and medusa. Giant shark-form lamias hunt the waters around the island.12.Jub-Nelumbo - Villages in this area produce a variety perfumes from rare tropical flowers. The plants are also sought by alchemists and poisoners for their toxic properties.13.Muckmarsh - The soggy wilds of Muckmarsh are dominated by insects of every sort. Explorers tell tales of dense swarms of bugs that imitate the shape of men and speak an alien language in buzzing voices.14. Charmaw Peaks - This entire mountain range boils with volcanic activity. The tribes here are lead by shamans who channel and transform into fire elementals. They have dire plans for the kingdom of Akandwa to the south.15.Mount Jak'Irby - Jak'Irby the storm giant resides here in a palace carved around the entire mountain. He does everything in his power to protect travelers around his home. Some believe he has the knowledge, if not the means, to banish the Tempest.16.Lush Lea - These verdant farmlands are home to settlers from the west. They are very superstitious and fear the spirits of the surrounding jungle.17.Gurunga - Tribes here have legends of men who live underground. They are said to steal children and replace them with changelings.

18.Akandwa - A noble kingdom in the heart of the jungle. Their monarch uses his natural prowess and magic items to emulate the abilities of the savage mantygers who stalk the night. The enchanters here make magic items using a strange metal unique to the area.19.The Brashwash - This rocky land is unable to support anything but a few fishing villages. The lack of any strong central authority makes it the perfect hiding place for all manner of criminals and malcontents.20.Greymist Bay - This well defended fortress is a foothold of law for those who travel here from the east.21.The Tempest - Abandon all hope...Things Yet to Pass
The tables below will hopefully help in generating some interesting situations by rolling on each. Some of the combinations may be vague or nonsensical, but they are meant only to provide the germ of an idea. The basic result is some detail about an NPC and something they want.

How an adventure actually starts or who instigates it is not defined and is best left to the individual DM. Maybe whomever completes a number of missions is rewarded a great treasure. Or perhaps it could all be part of an epic quest to find a way to dispel the Tempest Everlasting.

As an option, objectives could be presented by consulting the oracles on Knucklebone Island (Area 9). For a small fee or favor the oracles will recite the following ritual:Five pale knuckles shall we cast,A crook'd pentagram to frame.Within this starry pattern linedOur inner eye shall quickly find:A Form, a Fault, a Place, a Past,An Appetite to claim.﻿

Then they will allow the characters to ask two or three questions to determine some detail about the five aspects of their prophecy. In other words, of the five (Form, Fault, Place, Past, Appetite) they will discuss only a few. The rest is a mystery to be solved through wisdom and endeavor.

An Appetite (What the NPC wants to do or prevent)
1. Research something
2. Deliver something
3. Steal something
4. Destroy something
5. Rescue a person or monster
6. Capture a person or monster
7. Kill a person or monster
8. Defend a place
9. Spy on a place
10. Attack a place
11. Create something
12. Contact the Gods

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

So I haven't written anything in quite awhile.
I've been continuing my quest for the "Perfect Game".
The one that just jumps off the page into my brain. The one that inspires me to be the most creative mo'fo in the universe, dazzling the players with the sheer brilliance and excitement they experience while exploring this weird new setting.

Here's what I've found.

It doesn't exist. For me.
Maybe others have found this holy Rosetta grail in their quest.

But fun isn't found in a box or a book. You can't just turn on the fun machine.
I mean, I could just plop down a stack of Gamma World or Ravenloft modules, try to come up with some sort of big ol' map and be done with it.
But it couldn't work like that. For me.
I want to create something that will surprise even myself.

Over the years I've loaded up the ol' grey matter meat grinder with chunks and gristle. Stuffed my noggin with the kind of things that I want to see more of in the world. Bits of weird wonderment found in musty book stores and rescued from cheap comic book boxes.
It's been fermenting in my brain pan. Simmering so strangely.

Now I have to find the focus and fortitude to hold my nose and scoop out some heapin' helpin's for potential players.

And so I return once again to the inspiration of my blog, that little section in the Dungeon Master's Guide which provides guidelines for combining AD&D with Gamma World. Mutants and Magic.
I want to examine it closely, because even though I haven't actually played that much over the years, I keep returning to this idea of mashing different games together. Splicing them like some sort of cyborg chimera.

But I want to look at it from a totally active point of view. Before I would just get enjoyment from reading a game and imagining the potential fun I could have if only I could combine it with just the right parts and pieces from other games.
I know it's weird, having fun thinking about having fun. I think it stems from extreme shyness and social avoidance. It's hard to admit that I collect so many games and rarely play them.

Now I need to play. Open Pandora's books and let the dice determine what they may.
_________________________________________________

Gamma Red Death World. Here's the thing. I tried to play this before. I didn't plan things out very well or do much prep at all.
I want to give it another go and try to flesh things out a bit more before play.
Oh and I was totally kidding about the Gamma World and Ravenloft modules.
I'm gonna rip that shit off big time.

For reasons I may explain at a later date, I've decided that Gamma Red Death World is not our historical Earth. But there still will be mutants, magic and martians.
Oh, fine. Call it steampunk.

Also, I have decided to use Swords & Wizardry as the core rules with Mutant Future and the Pathfinder Advanced Race Guide thrown into the mix. Among other things what grabs my attention.

Brain coral are small amphibious predators that hunt tropical and subtropical tide pools and beaches.
Swirling patterns on their heads act as a 4th level Confusion spell, although it only effects 1d4 creatures.

Centicorns are unicorns that have been corrupted by the powers of Chaos. Their coats turn blood red and their manes turn ebony black. Dozens of horns cover the head, body and legs.
Three times per day the centicorn can launch a deadly volley of horns from it's body in a cone pattern, with a range of 60' and a 30' base. Targets who fail a save versus dragon breath take 2d10 damage.

Rocket SharkHit Dice: 3+1Armor Class:Attacks: 1 bite (1d10), 1 nose slash (1d6)Saving Throw:Special: Ramming attackMove: 3 / 48 (flying)Alignment: NeutralityChallenge Level/XP: 5 / 240
The rocket shark is another weird science abomination let loose on the world. It is basically shaped like a hammerhead shark with a bony blade on the front of it's nose and two jets on it's back that allow it to fly at incredible speeds.
It's most fearsome attack is a rocket ram. The rocket shark fly's at a target at top speed attempting to strike head on. If this attack hit's, the target must save versus death or take 3d10 points of damage. If the save versus death is successful, the victim only takes the normal 1d10 bite damage. The rocket shark can attempt this attack every three rounds, as it needs to build up speed.